REGINA — It was another war of words Friday as the government and Opposition served up vastly different portrayals of how the Saskatchewan economy was doing.
As has been the case going back to the previous term, the Sask Party government has again touted monthly StatsCan numbers pointing to economic growth. And again, opposition New Democrats were busy citing other Stats Can numbers showing a move in the opposite direction.
The NDP also have been pointing to oil prices missing projections. At a news conference at the Legislature, Energy Critic Sally Housser blasted the government over their $12 million projected spring surplus suddenly turning into a $349 million first quarter deficit.
She roasted the Sask Party for overestimating what the price of oil would be in their spring budget, characterizing it as based on “rainbows and fairy dust.”
“The Sask Party put the price of oil for 2025-26 at $71 a barrel. But today, WTI (West Texas Intermediate) is only $61, $10 less,” said Housser.
“The government's projection is so off of TD Bank or Scotiabank's latest forecast of $65 for this fiscal quarter, and Scotiabank predicts that prices will fall further in 2026 to $60 per barrel. For every $1 the Sask Party missed on its oil projection, the province loses $18 million on an annualized basis.”
Housser then went on to rip the government over the StatsCan job numbers released that morning which stated the province had lost 2,400 jobs in August. She also seemed to anticipate what the messaging would be that day from the finance minister.
“I understand that (Finance) Minister (Jim) Reiter is no doubt trying to tell people that today's numbers are somehow good,” Housser said, “but the reality is that we lost in this province 2,400 jobs last month.”
“That's 2,400 households that aren't getting a paycheck, 2,400 households that are worried about buying groceries, and this government will continue to go out and say that black is white, up is down, and demand over and over again that the people of Saskatchewan think that two plus two equals five, but people simply aren't buying it anymore.”
The Sask Party government sent out its own news release just as Housser was speaking, which painted a dramatically more positive picture of conditions in the province.
The government noted Saskatchewan “continued to see record growth” with 16,500 full-time jobs added year-over-year in August, as well as the lowest unemployment rate among provinces at 4.7 per cent, below the national average of 7.1 per cent.
The news release pointed to full-time employment of 534,300 in August, a record high. They also pointed to Saskatchewan ranking second among provinces for year-over-year growth in building permits values in June, and first for year-to-date growth for building permits values and urban housing starts.
"Once again, with record job numbers and low unemployment, we have proven why we are the best place to live, work and raise a family in Canada," Reiter said in a statement.
When asked about it at the news conference Housser was incredulous.
“I understand picking the stats that make you look the best, but even when they're doing that, like August-August, and that's like if we've compared to every single August that has ever existed.”
Even then, she noted, people had lost jobs. “And there's also a significant number of people that have given up looking for work altogether,” Housser said.
“And you have to factor that in to, again, the fiction that they're trying to put out today. I believe also in the stats report that came out today, it kind of showed that our province is growing. We're seeing population growth, but the labour market is shrinking.”
Housser vented frustration at the news conference about the messaging coming from the government on a number of fronts.
“I'm sorry folks, I'm frustrated today, because they continue to lie to the people of Saskatchewan. We are facing really hard economic times,” said Housser.
“And I'd have a certain level of respect for the government if they came out and said, you know what? All across North America, all across the world, we're weathering some choppy seas here. But instead they come out and say it's all sunshine and rainbows. It's not being honest with the people of Saskatchewan.”
Housser also noted that the people are feeling it. “Minister Reiter and Scott Moe, they don't feel it in their own kitchen table, in their own household budget, but the people of Saskatchewan are. And enough is enough. It's frustrating.”
In a statement the government had this response to the NDP's criticism on oil prices:
"Oil prices in the budget are an annualized prediction based on the average of private sector forecasts. The NDP once again criticize the use of such projections while not explaining what alternative projections they would use.
"Saskatchewan continues to have the strongest economy in Canada and today's labour force figures show more people working in Saskatchewan than ever before. Full-time employment has hit a record-high with the addition of 16,500 full-time jobs year-over-year. Saskatchewan's unemployment rate is also the lowest among the provinces at 4.7 per cent – well-below the national average of 7.1 per cent."
